


A Story About Stories

by afinch



Category: The Sandman (Comics)
Genre: Blink and You Miss It Crossover Shoutout, Gen, I did not warn for character death but if you haven't finished The Wake you don't want to read this, Not Prime Time 2017, Post-Canon, tiny guest appearance by Matthew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 02:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11393280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afinch/pseuds/afinch
Summary: After the wake, Death visits Dream. Some things are the same. Some are not. Dream tries to accommodate both.





	A Story About Stories

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silveradept](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveradept/gifts).



> The opening lines by Death were the prompt.

"Well, kid, see, you're the new Dream. The old one left the job behind, which is something we didn't think could be done before, but, well, guess you can. What that means, though, is that you're going to need some help figuring all of this new stuff out. And since I'm your big sister, well, I guess that job falls to me."

Dream nodded politely. Death was still shook up by what had happened, that much was obvious. Or else she would have remembered that not only had Destruction left, but Despair had died and Delight twisted into Delirium. They had changed before, they would change again. Thinking this was the first to happen was her way of denying what had happened. Death and Dream had been incredibly close; Death had liked to revel in the moodiness of Dream and Dream wasn't so new that he couldn't figure out that Death was trying to get that relationship back. 

He could not tell her that he had seen Destruction. He could not tell her that and hope to have a relationship with her. Entropy and optimism, that was what his brother had said. He did not think himself capable of optimism. He did not think Death would let him be capable of entropy. He knew she had been to see Hob. He had 94 years to decide if he was going to make _that_ particular meeting. For now there was she, and only she.

"Lead on, my sister," Dream of the Endless said, and Death smiled.

* * *

She asked to go to the Hall of Sigils, so he led her, Matthew fluttering just behind them. "You'll have to find a way to organize them," Death was saying. Dream looked at the objects. 

The book of Destiny's lay heavy on the floor. It hurt Dream to look at. It was this brother that he feared the most. Death's silver ankh seemed to be glowing, as she was near, and Dream fingered it gently. A sword, rusted and broken, lay in the corner. That was Destruction's. He had seemed certain he would be seeing Dream again, so Dream would care for the sword as he did the others. The hooked ring sat atop the glass heart and Dream let them be as they were. Desire was not to be trusted and Despair came with Desire, much as Dream would have liked to speak with her. It would be nice to talk to someone who had been through what he had. The swirl of colors for his youngest sister hung gently in the air. Dream would leave them be, as well. She would come to him, in time. He could be patient. 

"And you'll need yours of course, unless you want to keep the helm …" Death trailed off.

Dream looked at her, sharply, "I can choose? It is not chosen for me?"

Death shrugged, "It doesn't mean to what it did to _him_." Her voice rose on the last word and Dream waited a beat before speaking.

"I see." And he did see, the knowledge there without him having learnt it. Of the old gods, the deities who would have taken over the Dreaming. Who had helped him then? Sent him the help he needed to destroy the gods? Had it been Desire? Dream could only remember that the helm was made of one deity, the Gates, the other. 

Death was right, the helm didn't hold that sort of meaning for him. There was precious little that did, here.

"So you're going to want to pick something that's got a lot of meaning for you. Easily recognizable to all of us. Something that embodies your purpose, too, kid. Can't just be a random thing. It's not going to be easy, but well, that's what I'm here for, to help."

He had thought first of the Eagle Stone. But it was not to last. 

"Come," he said. "I do not have to decide now. We will discuss this later."

* * *

They made their way through the castle, Dream adding detailed elements as he remembered them. Death watched in silence, growing more agitated. Dream wondered how far he could push her. As they passed through a corridor, he stopped briefly and re-set the columns. "Wrong engraving," he explained to her.

She let out a frustrated moan. "Decoration is key, kid. I'd like to think you'd lighten up a bit, but I get it. Lots of potential security breaches. Don't think I haven't forgotten it was me Burgess wanted. It's a tall order. I can send over some samples to help. I mean, you've got this all made in the style it was before and you don't have to. Lighten up a little, would ya?"

"I could fill it with rainbows, but Delium might claim them from me," Dream retorted.

Death snickered, "Did you make a _joke_? Oh, kid, you're going to take some getting used to."

Dream smiled.

"Whoa, and was that a _smile_? This is what I get when you leave the job behind? I've been asking you to smile for how long now?"

"Millenia," Dream said simply. She was back to pretending again. _Leave the job behind_. Matthew fluttered, agitated; he wanted Dream to say something, but Dream was silent. He did not correct her and they walked on.

* * *

Their day was nearing an end, but Death still had much to say. She wanted more time, and had Dream been crueler, he would have reminded her that nobody got more time on her watch. He was not cruel, though, and he found he did enjoy the company of Death, if only for her playful nickname of "kid". He suspected it was not going to go away anytime soon. He did not mind. It was oddly comforting, to be needed by Death in this way. 

"The old one left a lot of things lying about, if you know what I mean," said Dream. "Desire and Despair leave little traps for people, but old you had a thing for the power of the Dreaming and sharing it and separating out his powers and - he was very meticulous about his duties, you know? I don't think anyone is expecting that from you yet, kid, so you got some time. But do you know where everything is?"

The Dreamstones. The emerald pulsed tight against his breast. The Ruby was destroyed. The Rose-Quartz as well. He could collect the others, perhaps. He knew Elizabeth would not give up the Black Pearl quietly. The Topaz would come to him now, if he called it … but he would not. Not yet.

"I know where the important things are," Dream replied. "I know where to collect them, should I need to. You have been helpful, sister. You are welcome back to the Dreaming at any time, even if I do not hold your sigil." 

"Are you sure?" said Matthew. "You might want to take some time to-"

Dream silenced the raven by holding up his hand. "For Death, I am certain. Thank you, Matthew."

He would explain to the raven later. It was a peace offering, a way to help Death through; a way to get her to stop pretending, pieces at a time. It was his gift, but not to her, to the others. _You see,_ he would point out to them, _she is healing. In her own time. And how long did it take you, Desire?_. He would not add that last bit. He did not want to start a fight with Desire.

"Aww, kid, you make me want to hug you."

Dream disregarded this. "Come, I have matters to attend to; I shall walk you out."

* * *

They were near the edge of the Dreaming, where reality blurred. Death did not like this place.

"You are shivering," Dream remarked.

"It's a place I cannot touch," Death replied. "It's a creepy, scary place, and I don't think just about anything is scary. Let me tell you, kid, some advice? Don't do what he did in there. Trapping people, hiding them from me. It's not right. It's a bad thing to mess with that sort of order of things."

It was the first advice she had given that endeared her to him. Entropy and optimism. Perhaps Destruction had been right after all. Perhaps he had been wrong to assume she would want him to meddle. But she had visited Hob. They would figure Hob out later. First, there were other questions he needed answered. 

"There is a man whose counsel I seek," Dream said. "The kitten is calling me. I shall do as you wish and deliver those inside to you."

He did not wait for a goodbye. Matthew would see her out, but he would see her again, shortly. She would come, again and again to his realm, until she found what it was she was looking for. He would not rush her. She was his sister, and that was what one did for family. 

He walked until he could no longer see her. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to my beta for the hand holding and canon review! Many stories referenced are found in the Sandman collection, mostly The Wake.


End file.
